Hops to shake up downtown food landscape

Wednesday

Apr 30, 2014 at 7:00 AM

By Brian.VanOchten@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4279

The restaurant scene in downtown Holland is about to undergo a major shakeup.The owners of 84 East and Froggy’s confirmed Tuesday both Eighth Street establishments are being combined to form Hops at 84 East, a 65-tap craft beer bar and grille that will feature unique brick-oven pizzas. It’s scheduled to reopen sometime in July.“It’s a good time to be in the beer business,” Managing Partner Mike Fitzharris said of putting the focus on craft beer and an updated menu. “What people love is variety, and that’s what we’ll have here.”The plan calls from Froggy’s, a local burger and fries joint at 80 E. Eighth St., to close shortly after the end of Tulip Time. 84 East, 84 E. Eighth St., will remain open for much of the renovation period.A large bar will be constructed along an interior brick wall as part of an estimated $650,000 buildout and it’ll serve as the focal point for the refreshed space, Fitzharris said.The seating capacity is 194 for the redesigned space.“We’ve been here for 23 years,” Fitzharris said of the original owners, Jim and Sharon Diesing, and himself. “We just thought it was time (for a change). We were going to do it anyway.“We’re really excited about this. We’re going to keep it casual and fun.”Hops, which will compete for restaurant and bar patrons with other popular downtown hangouts, plans to feature several of those competitors as part of its rotating craft-beer lineup.It’ll tap offerings from New Holland Brewing Co., Saugatuck Brewing Co., Big Lake Brewing Co., Our Brewing Co., Virtue Cider in Fennville, Founders Brewing Co. and Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids, Bell’s Brewery in Galesburg, Shorts Brewing Co. in Bellaire and others. Coppercraft Distillery’s line of craft spirits will be featured as well.It’ll also have several wines and meads (alcoholic beverages made from fermenting honey with water and fruit juices) tapped from kegs.An expanded menu will feature pizzas, made in special brick ovens brought in from Long Island, N.Y., handcrafted sandwiches and familiar favorites such as spaghetti pie and tuxedo chicken.“We’re not going to throw those things out,” Fitzharris said of mainstays such as spaghetti pie. “We made our reputation on those.”It’ll also include fresh-cut fries — a nod to Froggy’s — and several smaller plates tailored to the craft-beer audience.A special takeout window called the Pie Hole at the rear entrance of Hops, off the parking lot along Ninth Street, will include a unique partnership with Our Brewing Co., a few doors away. Fitzharris said an iPad ordering system will be placed at Our Brewing that allows its patrons to order brick-oven pizzas that Our Brewing servers fetch for them.The profits from select menu items will be donated to local charities each month.“We want to be more involved with local charities,” Fitzharris said.He added that nightlife will be an important part of the Hops appeal.The former Froggy’s section will undergo a full-scale renovation, which includes the elongated bar and space for entertainment. The former 84 East section will function primarily as the dining room.He said Hops’ kitchen will remain open late at night “until the bar closes,” filling a much-needed void in the restaurant landscape downtown. Hours are expected to be 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.GDK Construction, a Holland-based firm, is handling the buildout.Fitzharris said the 105 employees at 84 East, Froggy’s and 8th Street Grille, 20 W. Eighth St., all part of the same ownership, will be able to choose where they’d prefer to work.He said the plan is to hire at least 25 more people to fill shifts at Hops because of its longer hours.Dara Nykamp, who manages 8th Street Grille, will become general manager of both properties.— Follow this reporter on Twitter @BizHolland